data_privacy

Vilnius – September 11, 2026 -- Surfshark has completed the acquisition of a majority stake in Optery, a US-based data removal company, marking the cybersecurity group's second strategic acquisition after Ironwall in 2024.

Surfshark adds Optery's US data broker coverage to its privacy portfolio

Optery specializes in deleting personal information from search engine results, data brokers, and people-search sites, using scanning technology and screenshot-based reporting to track removals. The deal brings Optery's US market expertise into Surfshark's existing ecosystem, which includes Incogni, Ironwall, and HeyPolo.

Optery will operate as a standalone unit, retaining its own team and clients

Surfshark confirmed that Optery will keep separate teams, client bases, and technical architectures from its other brands, following the same autonomous structure used for Ironwall since its 2024 acquisition.

Redmond, Wash. – September 10, 2026 -- Halfpricesoft.com has updated its ezAccounting payroll and business software, offering small businesses a desktop-based alternative to cloud subscription platforms with a flat annual fee of $199.00 per installation.

Small businesses face rising costs from forced monthly cloud subscriptions

Accounting platforms have increasingly shifted toward mandatory monthly fees and remote server storage, squeezing small business owners, contractors, and bookkeepers with escalating overhead and data privacy concerns. Halfpricesoft.com positions ezAccounting as a response, storing financial data on local hard drives without mandatory cloud sync.

London – September 09, 2026 -- TrustKernel has moved its PlugClaw device from pre-order to general availability worldwide, pricing the thumb-sized private AI computer at 128 EUR ($149) and adding free confidential model inference on newly deployed servers.

PlugClaw packs a full computer into a 50 x 19 x 8mm USB-C stick weighing 15 grams

The device runs a MediaTek Helio G80 processor with up to 6GB of RAM and 128GB of encrypted storage. It ships with PlugOS, a privacy-hardened Android build, alongside Ubuntu as an agent runtime environment, turning any connected smartphone, tablet or computer into an AI workstation.